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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. chip — for betting
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a song
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. craft — a skill
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. track — a path

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com